Improvement in ratchet-braces



W. B. SMITH.

RA'IGHETBRACE.

No.188. 684. Patented March 20,1877.

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N. PETERS, PNOTULITHOGRAPHER. WASH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. BELL SMITH, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET-BRACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 188,684, dated March20, 1877; application filed February 14, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. B LL SMITH, of Charleston, in the county ofCharleston and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Ratchet- Brace; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a ratchetbrace, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation. Figure 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3is a cross-section on the line 00 00, Fig. 2.

A represents the handle of my brace, provided at one end with a head, B,as shown. The handle A is made hollow, and has an aperture opening intothe head B, the interior of which is made circular, and on one side hasan end piece with a central orifice for the passage of the spindle G. Onthis spindle is secured or formed a ratchet-wheel, D, which lies withinthe head B, and a collar, E, placed around the other end of the spindle,is then screwed into that side of the head, thus closing the same, andconfining the ratchet-wheel within the head.

In the hollow handle A is placed a dog or pawl, a, which is forced, bymeans of a spiral spring, b, to engage with the ratchet-wheel D.

From the opposite end of the handle is screwed into the same a plug, G,the inner end of which bears against the end of the spiral spring I), tocause the same to act on the pawl a.

The spindle O is made hollow for the insertion of a bit, and one end maybe provided with a square opening to enable the instrument to be used asa ratchet-brace.

I am aware that ratchet-braces are not new, and hence I do not claimsuch as being, broadly, my invention. With my construction of theparts,. as described, it will be seen that all the working parts arecompletely inclosed within the handle, so that no dust or dirt can getin and clog them; and while they are so inclosed, they can neverthelessbe easily and quickly removed, when required, for any purpose whatever.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the hollow handle A with hollow head B, the spindle Owith ratchetwheel D thereon, the screw-collar E, pawl a, spiral springb, and screw-plug G, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

W. BELL SMITH.

Witnesses:

JNO. B. SEWER, W. WALTER RILEY.

